Tuesday, July 31, 2007

$4.99 Plus Tax

That's the amount I should have deducted from my hair stylists' tip last Saturday. When asked if I wanted front-angling, I replied, "sure," under the false presumption it would look fabulous, framing my face. She said she would just do a little bit, so I thought it would be fine. After all, she had a super cute cut and looked like Nelly Furtado and after four long hours together, she'd done a spectacular job with my highlights.

To my horror, she took the scissors and hacked off the front pieces of my hair so now I have stray side bangs. I hate bangs. I especially hate bangs when you're working out and they hang in your eyes and later stick to the side of your face, drenched in sweat. So I went to Target last night and spent $4.99 on two headwraps with an adjustable strap in hopes they will actually stay on my head, but I'm not so optimistic considering I have soft, slippery hair.

I've been nervous for the marathon lately because I haven't taken training seriously. As I've mentioned about 1,000 times now, I've felt lethargic and out of shape, but yesterday I finally had a really great workout, which I desperately needed. I pushed myself and did 6 miles in 53:33 so I was very pleased.

Afterwards, I went and found a pair of running shoes, but they didn't have my size, so I'm going to check a different store today. When I told my friend the other day about my worn-out shoes, she said, "You better buy new ones before you injure yourself!" That never even dawned on me. I also purchased a heart rate monitor -- something I've been wanting for quite a while. I read some reviews on Polar watches beforehand, but I detest the fact Polar requires you mail in your watch to change the battery. So I went with a less expensive, Timex one instead. It's my first HRM so we'll see how this one performs.

Chick Lit Reading

This post is for a friend of mine who recommended Emily Giffin's books, "Something Borrowed" and "Something Blue" when she stayed up 'til 2:30 am reading last weekend. The premise is a love triangle involving two best friends and a fiance who sleeps with and develops feelings for the BFF he's not engaged to. "Something Borrowed" is written from the viewpoint of the cheater, Rachel, while "Something Blue" is written from the perspective of the engaged woman, Darcy.

Before I heard about these books, I picked up Jennifer Weiner's new book, "The Guy Not Taken" and couldn't make it past page thirty. There was waaaay too much boring backstory for my liking. Frankly, the writing bored me as well. While not frowned upon in chick lit, but annoyed me no less, Weiner violates one of the cardinal sins of writing by using dialogue tags such as "quipped" or "whispered" or "snarled." If the writing is good, the tag is unnecessary. I couldn't get past this annoying distraction, given her book is littered with them.

So...I read the first couple chapters of "Something Borrowed" last night, relieved to read something far superior to Weiner's book. I was almost beginning to doubt my interest in the chick lit genre. It's been a couple years since I started and finished a book -- call it writers' eny or something, but I think I shall make it through this one no problem. Appreciative of the recommendation!

The Immobility of Nice Guys

As if in response to the question I posed yesterday,I found this. I couldn't have said it better myself.

Hopefully, he doesn't mind me linking or quoting him, but he sums it up best by saying:

"So what do woman want? A nice guy? Yes. A nice guy that knows how to take charge. A man’s man. A man that isn’t afraid to disagree every now and then. A man that isn’t afraid to kiss a woman. A man that doesn’t ask to kiss her; he just kisses her."

Monday, July 30, 2007

Nothing to Lose

Per the urging of several friends, I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm actually considering online dating (gulp). As I said a couple weeks ago, I'm not looking forward to dating, nor do I know if I'm ready for anything serious, but as my friend so wisely put it, "What do you have to lose?" She has a couple co-workers who go out with men they meet on plentyoffish, a free service they claim to be better than eHarmony or Match. If it's free, I guess I really do have nothing to lose. Other than my dignity, which, luckily for me, went out the window years ago. If nothing else, it should provide some good (by good, I mean bad) blogging material.

Do Nice Guys Always Finish Last?

When I was out with GC over the weekend, she shared her current guy dilemma. She's been hanging out with this guy, NG for Nice Guy, who is just that: NICE. Last time he went to her place, clothes were strewn about her bedroom, so she explained she needed more hangers. The next time NG saw her, he brought hangers and chocolate because he knows she's got a sweet tooth.

GC: "WTP, they weren't even plastic hangers -- they were the wood ones! Who uses wood hangers?!?"
WTP: "My dad."

You often hear women say with an emphatic sigh, "Why can't I just meet a nice guy?" So why is it when they meet the nice guys, they're completely turned off? Is nice simply too boring? If there's no challenge, where's the thrill?

Does Timing = Fate?

When it comes to love, it may not be considered "romantic" to accept the fact our lives are based purely on timing, but what of it?

Believers of fate feel everything happens for a reason. In accordance to this, I should acknowledge that a guy I find cute AND funny is somehow not right for me. Oh Gods of Fate, is that why ye choseth to have him meet and fall for some homely, Plain Jane with 80's hair and frumpy fashion several weeks before I officially became single? I do believe so.

Yes, that's right. When I was in a relationship, I met a few guys I potentially would have dated, had I been available. The most recent was a friend of a friend. We'll call him Ace since he's known in a few circles for dressing up like a gay superhero for Halloween. I know, you're impressed already. I met Ace back in September of last year. He was a friend of a friend that met up with a small group of us out one night. You know what they say, you always meet someone when you're not looking, right?

It was a Monday, of all nights, and it was sort of a last hurrah for one of my best friends before she moved out-of-state to begin her new job/career. Seeing as how I had to work the next day, I had no intent to get drunk, but before I knew it, two drinks turned into ten. Or something like that. Eventually, I reached the point of no return.

Our guy friends invited us to their house for the after-bar, so at some point during the walk/stumble from the bar, it was decided that I was riding with Ace. As we drove through downtown, he pointed out several restaurants, wanting to know whether I'd eaten at them. The answer was "no" every time (I don't get out much), as he raved about his love for sushi and Mediterranean food.

It wasn't until we got to the house and continued the boozefest that the boyfriend question arose. When I sheepishly replied, "Yes, I do have a boyfriend," he expressed his disappointment, revealing he'd planned to ask me out, which had been his reason for asking me about those restaurants. For as much as I overanalyze, you'd think I would've picked up on that, but up until then, I never received the slightest inkling of the "he's into me" vibe. Strange.

So we had the boyfriend/relationship talk for what seemed like a couple hours, but could've been more or less, since I lost all track of time. I explained I wasn't in love with him -- he was really more of a friend than a boyfriend. How did it last four years? I wish I had an answer myself. It was comforting to know Ace had been in a similar situation. He'd recently broken up with his girlfriend of two years that he'd never said "I love you" to.

He spent a great deal of time giving me a pep talk, encouraging me to break it off, telling it like it was. It was all of the things I knew were true, but sounded completely different coming from an outside perspective. It was an eye-opening conversation, to say the least. Of course, the fact I had a boyfriend failed to discourage him from trying to make out with me all night, but what can I say? He's a guy. And nothing happened.

It wasn't immediate, though things were rocky, but a couple months later, the ex and I were definitely through, once and for all. In the meantime, I saw Ace twice, and each time, he was baffled to learn we were still together after "our talk." By our third encounter, as my single self, he had a new girlfriend -- which caught me completely off-guard since the possibility never even crossed my mind.

He was happy to hear it was over and done with, and he went on a rant about how small the "window of opportunity" can be. Well, I can't help but hope the window hasn't been permanently closed because he'd be a really fun date -- his sarcasm is priceless. With no interesting prospects, I can't help but think of him from time to time. I'm usually wondering if he suddenly became single overnight. Knowing my luck, he'll be engaged by fall.

If I were a believer in fate, I'd be inclined to believe we met at that particular time for a reason. If we hadn't met, maybe I'd still be with someone that wasn't right for me. But, moral of the story, it's true what they say, "It's all about the timing."

Sunday, July 29, 2007

Must-Have Wedding Registry Item

My first ex-boyfriend is getting married this fall. As the date draws near, I'm sure I'll have more to say, but for now, I simply wish to share an item from their wedding registry.



Just how disturbed should I be that my ex is marrying someone crazy enough to push their dog around in a stroller?!? Those poor, poor animals.

Have you Hugged a Friend Today?

When you're in a couple, it's easy to alienate yourself from friends. You've got someone who is more or less, obligated to hang out with you and support you. If you're like most relationships, the two of you spend the majority of your free time together. Once you get comfortable, you come to rely on that person for many of your social needs.

I know there were times when I had a bf that I wouldn't promptly return friends' phone calls, or I would find myself feeling incredibly anti-social because because I had a significant other. As long as I had him to hang out with, I didn't necessarily go out of my way to make plans with others. At the time, I knew it was foolish, but I got sucked in by being part of a couple.

I certainly don't think it ever reached the point where my friends felt the the need to call for an intervention. I never cast aside any of my friends, but in looking back, I sometimes feel guilty that I maybe wasn't as good of a friend as I could have been. As though I partially took them for granted when I should have made more of an effort to stay in touch and be a better friend.

Since I've been single and living alone, I'm much more appreciative of the time I spend with friends -- whether it's a casual phone conversation, gossiping over cocktails, or humorous, one-line emails poking fun of one another. I'm very aware of the increase in time I spend seeing and talking to my friends than I did in the past.

Greaseballs Galore

Last night GC and I met up downtown. We started off the night drinking sangria. We tried both kinds, but the red was richer, far better than the white. So good!!

I think it was the first time GC and I hung out one-on-one. I haven't known her long, but it feels we've been friends for years. She's just fun and not afraid to put herself out there, so I think people find themselves drawn to that.

I wished I'd been able to record our conversation because we both see eye-to-eye when it comes to many things. For one, we openly mock strangers. I'm sorry, but it's just too hard not to! My pick of the night was a black guy standing at the bar with the early stages of a 'fro and combed-down mustache. GC: "Who does that? Combs down their mustache?" He looked like he stepped out of a '70s time capsule. I was jealous when he chatted up a semi-attractive blonde. Damn, I missed my chance. GC's victim was this total greaseball she dubbed "Julio" with long, dark slicked back hair in a ponytail and greasy goatee to match. He wore skin-tight jeans with a too-tight short-sleeve shirt tucked in so that it displayed his baby of a gut. Two of Julio's loser buddies followed him around like a lost puppy dog in hopes that Julio would find them an easy lay.

We also share an understanding when it comes to guys. Neither of us is dating at the moment, so we talked ex-boyfriends, current men in our lives we have no interest in dating, and the plethora of douchebags out there. While my dateless self has yet to meet and go out with a douchebag (oh, how I can't wait),GC claims to have had nothing but in recent months. Her tactic of saying to potential suitors, "Don't be that guy" appears to backfire, where they simply stop calling after hanging out three or four times.

The bartenders at our regular place are beginning to get to know us and WAY undercharge us for drinks so that has been awesome. At one point, the bartenders seemed to be in competition for our attention. One of them made GC a drink that was a shot of Grey Goose with another shot of Grey Goose and just a splash of cranberry and soda. When our first bartender, Joe, noticed the other bartender handing us free drinks, Joe suddenly plopped down two Washington Apple shots beside our drinks. It was a bartender drink-off!

One random happenstance was that I saw a guy I knew from college. Only I couldn't tell if it was him at first because he'd lost so much hair!! Wow, what a difference four years makes. His was hair grown out a bit longer, probably to compensate for the thinning, but it failed to hide the huge bald spot on the back of his head. I was shocked. And amazed by all the men my age I hear about losing their hair.

The night was all good until GC realized she'd lost, or more likely, someone stole her little Coach card case containing her license and debit card. That kind of put a damper on the evening so we headed out after that. At least GC is a happy-go-lucky kind of gal, so she immediately called and cancelled her check card and wasn't too upset about it.

Friday, July 27, 2007

Food Fight

Begrudgingly, I took off work today while the air conditioning in my car gets fixed. It's always somewhat of a hassle when this occurs in that family members are obligated to pick me up/drop me off since the repair shop is a fair distance from my place/parents' home.

Last evening, I was in for a bit of a shock when my mom and I butted heads over cheese, or lack thereof. My mother and I have never had a close relationship. We get along for the most part, but she's never been someone I've felt I could confide in. I've always been more of a daddy's girl.

Anyway, she made hamburgers last night for dinner. I asked if we had cheese for mine, and she said, "No, so you're not getting cheese." She got really upset when I asked how it was possible to not have any cheese and told me I should've brought my own cheese if I wanted it and that I also should've brought my own laundry detergent (I was doing laundry) because it was her house and I was being a rude guest.

Fine, I know she gets like that sometimes. So I went downstairs to my old room and told her I refused to eat. She started screaming at me about how I HAD to eat because she'd made all this food and she didn't want it to go to waste. It made absolutely no sense to me. If I were such an ungrateful guest, why would she want me to eat the meal she claimed to work sooooo hard to prepare???

I told her all I wanted to do was watch Big Brother so she stood in front of the TV, arms flailing, trying to grab hold of my wrist to drag me upstairs. She said if I didn't go up and eat, then I could go home. "How am I going to get there?" I asked. "You can walk." The fight got to be more and more ridiculous by the minute. I never really swear in front of my parents, but I was super close to calling her a bitch. I held my tongue though -- she probably would have flown off the handle even moreso if that happened.

I can be stubborn, but it was easier to eat the damn food than continue fighting. Of course, I also happened to be famished.

It had been a long, long time since my mom and I fought like that, so it surprised me that, at 26, I could still get just as worked up about her as I did in the past.

Thursday, July 26, 2007

Weeds Season 2



It's finally out on DVD!!! Why don't you have your copy yet?

I am sooooo planning to re-watch season 1 & 2 before 3 starts. Can't wait!

Monday, July 23, 2007

Sun 'n Fun

I awoke early Saturday and since it was beautiful outside, I decided to check out the new Lakeville Lifetime pool. It was extremely nice from everything to the outdoor hot tub to the comfortable chairs and shaded umbrellas that spray mist. As I was lying there, soaking up the sun, I felt restless.

What I really wished for was my laptop, but I'd brought along a notebook and pen instead. I had a lot of jumbled thoughts bouncing around in my head, but when I went to put them down on paper, I found I couldn't. It was the strangest thing. When I was young, I journaled non-stop and wrote free-hand all the time. But I find now I've become so accustomed to typing my thoughts out on a keyboard that when I go back to the old-fashioned way, I draw blanks. Nothing but garbage. Seriously. The only exception is instances where I have something truly vent-worthy.

Luckily for me, my friend called about an hour and a half later, saying she was on her way to the Savage pool so I packed up and headed over there. She met up with one of her guy friends too and we shared a few enlightening topics of conversation. Later on, my friend and I were walking back to our chairs when a guy called out my name. It was one of my friends who lives in the area so it wasn't exactly shocking to see him, but still an unexpected surprise to see him in a swimsuit. That was a first. I'd walked past him when I came in and hadn't even recognized him. He was there with his roommate so we stopped and chatted them for a good while. The fun part was when they encouraged us to try out the water slides with them. So if you lie down with your arms crossed on the left slide, you actually rip pretty fast for a kiddie slide. Since I'm always talking about how old I feel, it felt good to know I can still do childish things and have just as much fun doing them!! It really made me want to go to a water park!

After slides and swimming, I stopped by my parents' for dinner and dog time. When I finally got back to my apartment, I had to rush to get ready for going out. So I met my pool friend downtown where we made our usual rounds -- starting at Old Chicago. We bumped into her friend who we later met up with. We left Old Chicago and went to The Annex. My friend has a crush on a guy from her work and she'd heard he frequently hangs out there. She was so cute when she thought she saw him. She got all nervous to see him. Unfortunately, he was there with a girl -- no confirmation of her relationship to him, but my friend knows he doesn't have a girlfriend.

After a few other friends showed up, I left Annex and went to Bellanotte to meet GC. We ended up meeting a couple older guys while sitting at the bar who were sort of interesting. It kind of ended up being like a double-date though. The guy I spoke with likes to write so I thought that was really cool and we ended up getting into a pretty deep conversation about writing. However, he lives in LA, but is originally from here and says he wants to keep in touch, but who knows. It was a good night though and I had a lot of fun.

Sunday I went over to a married friend's house and a group of us went to Canterbury Park to watch ostrich and camel races. I took video of the camels, but I haven't uploaded yet, it may be too far away, but I'll see what it looks like when I get home. The ostriches were fast and really funny -- the jockeys didn't really stay on! The unfortunate thing about yesterday was that it was soooooo hot and steamy! It was miserable. So I didn't work out either Saturday OR Sunday and I ate like shit. I didn't have enough time to eat on Sunday before I went to my friend's so I had cheese curds and vanilla ice cream with sprinkles at Canterbury. Then we went back to my friend's and she mixed salsa and cheese together as dip for chips and I seriously ate a TON! I still feel gross.

We also watched the movie, Norbit, it was 102 minutes of my life I'll never get back. The whole time I kept wondering how movies like that ever get made!

Make New Friends, but Keep the Old

Busy, busy weekend. Marley officially hates me for spending no time with him.

So Friday after work, I felt winded running 6 miles. It was painful. The first three, I kept wanting to turn back which I only consider if I am really struggling. I forced myself to push through and when I'd completed three miles, I finally seemed to get in the zone so it was all good after that. It's usually not so much of a struggle which is evidence of my slacking.

That evening, a girl friend and I made plans to have a reunion of sorts with a guy friend of ours we hadn't seen since fall. We first met at Tugg's, but it was really crowded so we walked to Whitey's in NE Minneapolis. A friend of mine from work came with a couple of his buddies as well.

It was good to catch up with old friends and meet new ones. Whitey's is a very relaxed place so there was no craziness going on -- no stripper pole in the middle of the dance floor. Not even a makeshift (i.e. move the tables and chairs), designated dance area. Good conversation, and that alone, is responsible for providing the entertainment.

After Whitey's, my girl friend and our old pal (my work friend went home) headed over to Grandma's to meet up with her friend from nursing school that was in town. Given my friend and I used to work at Grandma's, it is always an experience to go back there. I often feel overwhelmed by a flooding of flashbacks. However, the place was absolutely dead. Even on $1 beer night! That says a lot. The bartenders still hook us up so that's always a positive, but it was kind of depressing to see the lack of patrons. It was so dead they hadn't even bothered to turn off the lights in a place that used to be a major meat-market -- lighting is NOT conducive to random hook-ups!

After a two-week break from alcohol, my tolerance noticeably lowered. The two drinks at Whitey's were STRONG. I barely had anything at Grandma's, but I felt really drunk. Unfortunately, going to Grandma's turned out to be a buzzkill. By 1:00 am, all I wanted to do was go to bed and go to bed, I did.

Friday, July 20, 2007

Scraping the Bottom of the Barrel

I'm really struggling to come up with blog topics this week, as you may have noticed. Life's been nothing but mundane. Work has been busy. I've been stuck putting in extra hours so workouts and blogging have moved to the back burner.

I don't know what's in store for this weekend yet, but something funny/exciting/blog-worthy better happen before I keel over and die of boredom.

Thursday, July 19, 2007

I Sometimes Get Paranoid...

One thing I never mentioned in previous posts is that a few of GC's guy friends have commented to me that she talks about me a lot, which is sort of surprising considering we've only hung out a handful of times. Last time I saw her, Indian night at NV, in our drunken stupor, we shared a heartwarming moment in the womens' bathroom (where else?) where we went back and forth about how glad we were to have met.

So...when GC didn't return my call last weekend, I started to worry -- worry she'd suddenly decided she no longer wanted to be my friend! I even had a dream that night where I asked a mutual friend of ours if she was out of town. He said "no" and got a funny look so I pressed him to tell me what I'd done wrong or why she was avoiding me. He eventually admitted the reason she didn't want to hang out with me was because the last time we'd gone out, I apparently was so drunk that I thought it would be a good idea to steal milk from the kitchen of a bar downtown! The worst of it was my drunk ass failed to recall the incident, but GC had told our friend that it wasn't just a 1-liter size milk, I'd managed to steal gallons and gallons...of milk!! As it turned out, she was morally opposed to my klepto ways. She said I'd taken it too far and didn't want to associate herself with someone like that.

Is that not the strangest dream you've heard of? It was incredibly vivid! Funny, I'm in a bar, and of all things, I choose to steal milk?!? What the hell is wrong with me?

Paranoia getting the best of me, I periodically checked my phone all weekend, in hoping, contrary to my dream, she actually had been out of town. But as the weekend came and went, with no word, I honestly tried to think of what I may have done or said to piss her off. I texted her on Tuesday after work as well, with no response.

Finally, today when I arrived home, I had a missed call and voicemail from her with an apology and explanation that there'd been a family emergency. I immediately felt terrible for being so selfish! Here all this time I kept thinking it must have been something I'd done, and I'd never once stopped to consider the possibility that something bad happened.

To top it off, the same situation occurred with another friend of mine who didn't get back to me over the weekend so I was twice as paranoid. I later learned he was out of town.

Monday, July 16, 2007

Ex BFF's

It's to be expected that men will come and go, but it's a different story with your female friendships, perhaps the most complex of all. Several years ago, two of my college friends and I were in for the shock of our lives when out of the blue, one of our close college friends, NoIdentity, emailed us making asinie accusations regarding our behavior toward her and her new man, ToolforBrains. Ironically, she never would have met ToolforBrains (now her tool-of-a-husband) if it hadn't been for us forcing their introduction at the bar. She wasn't interested when approached by Tool's friend, on his behalf, but we were drunk and chatty so we scurried over to the booth they occupied.

In her email, she claimed to take offense for everything under the sun -- covering everything from us secretly excluding her from the group to ignoring ToolforBrains, thus deeming us "immature high schools." She even went so far as to badger us for making fun of ToolforBrains' tapered jeans. Are you kidding me?!?! We would have ridiculed ANYONE for that fashion faux-pas. Seriously. It was 2004, not 1994. It's not like we were cruel enough to say anything to the guy's face.

She received three angry, defensive emails in return, only to never hear back from her. It wasn't until a year later when I made plans with a mutual friend, whom unbeknownst to me, invited NoIdentity to join us. It was awkward, yes, but at times throughout conversation, it was as if nothing ever happened. It was like seeing an old ex for the first time in a long time when you make it a point to block out all the bad memories. After that, we made amends in that we continued communication and hung out on occasion, but it was never really the same. Nor will it ever be.

When a relationship falls apart, drama is guaranteed to follow, but what about when the same happens to a friendship?? It never receives the same attention, but it's just as dramatic, if not moreso! I met NoIdentity my first week of college and we immediately clicked, spending nearly every waking moment together. The fact she was willing to just throw away her closest friendships and the manner in which she went about it, all for the sake of ToolforBrains, spoke volumes.

Now What?

Ho hum, life is so dreadfully boring as of late. I feel totally unprepared for running 26.2 miles come October 7. My workouts have been sporadic -- I've failed to keep up with my training. I managed to squeeze in 4 days last week, running 6 miles each time, so a grand total of 24 for the week. According to my schedule, I should have completed 18-19 miles so maybe I'll be okay. It's the long Sunday runs I've been neglecting that will ultimately screw me over. I was supposed to do 9 on Sunday, the number rising by 1-2 every Sunday. Much to my horror, the humidity returned in full force after a 6-day stretch of relief, so my run yesterday was not a pleasant one.

Today I headed to the gym for the first time since the "re-modeling." They added new machines and granite benches and countertops to the locker rooms, but other than that, I couldn't tell much difference. Within thirty seconds on the treadmill, I stopped and opted for one of the new elliptical machines. Why is it I had to get stuck beside the guy who insisted on blowing his nose directly into his towel?! The same towel he then proceeded to use to wipe the sweat from his forehead. Trust me, there was nothing discreet about several loud honks of a blow that sounded like a Canadian geese mating call!! Snot and sweat...what a combo.

On my way home, guess who I had the privilege of seeing again? BellyBulgeGuy --same green khaki shorts and all. Like a bowl full of jelly!

Sunday, July 15, 2007

Stuff and Things



Friday morning before work, I dropped off Marley at the vet so he could get declawed and neutered. He had to stay overnight, which I initially didn't think would be a big deal, but I missed the little guy like crazy! I'm so used to him following my every move and curling up on my lap when I watch TV and snuggling under my chin while I sleep that it was awfully lonely without him.

Happy to report his surgery went smoothly and he is recovering nicely. It struck me as odd when the vet said they used glue as opposed to stitches for both procedures. I guess that must be the preferred method these days. I have to say I just LOVE going to the vet clinic and seeing pet owners with their pets. It's always a delight and an added bonus is that you can't help but beam when your animal receives compliments even though you had absolutely nothing to do with their genetic makeup!!

I'm also happy to report my apartment has never been cleaner. It took multiple days, but I really scrubbed everything down and boy, did it need it! I feel as though I should take a picture, for it may never be this clean again.

I found myself at a "party" Friday night where the conversation revolved around World of Warcraft. The invite was extended from a guy at work, "Stripes," as Deborah and I refer to him since every day, without fail, he wears a striped shirt, usually short-sleeve polos. I can hang with the dorks, but this was borderline for me. I felt extremely out of place, so I only stayed for one vodka/cherry 7-up drink (the hard liquor supply was limited) and got the hell out of there.

I felt guilty when Stripes profusely apologized for boring me and tried to convince me to stay, but that wasn't happening. When I went to leave, Stripes walked me out, and then akwardly enough, two of his buddies trailed behind, one of them (who reminded me of a blonde Hamilton Porter from The Sandlot) saying, "We all came to say good-bye." Oh, and did I mention Stripes girlfriend was present at the party? Another interesting party attendee happened to be Stripes' new roommate, the girlfriend of his friend/roommate, whom he met playing World of Warcraft. How sweet is that?

Tunak

Remember Indian night fun at the club? I'd never heard it before, but that night, the DJ played this song, Tunak Tunak Tun -- my friend told me about it at the time and later sent me the video. Apparently, a group of the Indian guys at NV performed these sweet dance moves! It's pretty funny.

Why Sex with an Ex?

Did you know there are women out there who solicit ex-boyfriends for sex?!? So I've been told by several male sources. Perhaps you are one of these women. Why? Do you seek out former lovers as a way to avoid adding another notch to your bedpost? My last friend to tell me such a story said when he informed his ex he currently had a girlfriend, she replied, "She doesn't have to know." I've also heard tales of women contacting old boyfriends before their wedding day for one last romp in the sack. Interesting, no?

Friday, July 13, 2007

Blogging Blues

In talking to a friend the other day, I reiterated my loss of motivation to blog. It's shown too -- readership has been down. I told him my 'going-out' posts used to be my favorite, but even those have grown stagnant. He suggested taking a break, then added, "when was the last time you got dry humped by a stripper?" So in an attempt to revitalize this blog, I hopefully shall go out and do something wild 'n crazy this weekend!

How 'bout if I add some color to this thing?? Will that spice it up? I couldn't commit to a template/color previously.

Thursday, July 12, 2007

Marrieds vs. Singles

Lately I've been thinking about how one's marital status affects their friendships. It's only reasonable that married couples would hang out with other marrieds while singles band together (the same logic applies to couples with kids). Naturally, the two groups co-exist, but when they socialize, it seems the marrieds are yawning and checking their cell phones either for the time or to see whether their other half has called if he/she is not present. They generally never make it to bar close and if they do, you probably won't seem them out again for another month.

On the weekends, I can't help but feel nostalgic as I flip through my ever-shrinking list of "going-out" friends on my phone. By default, I gravitate toward my single friends and thus feel closer to them as we bond over booze and banter.

I'm frequently reminded of the fact I wouldn't see my single friends, who happen to be more of acquaintances these days, nearly as often had I been part of the married crowd. Not to say that I don't still enjoy hanging out with my married friends, but it's two completely different worlds.

In recent months, I've witnessed many friendships change, friends of friends included, as more and more people take that next step. Is there a way to lessen the gap between the two groups? Or once you're married, does saying good-bye to your single self mean saying good-bye to your single friends?

Wednesday, July 11, 2007

Brandi Carlile: The Story

While riding home from the cabin with my dad, an avid NPR listener, I heard an interesting feature on Brandi Carlile. Wise beyond her years, her voice is simply captivating. Her style invokes rock/country/folk. I loved hearing the stories behind a few of her songs. For example, the song Wasted on her latest album, The Story, is about her brother and how at the time she wrote it, she thought he was wasting his musical talent by not pursuing music, but now she realizes he doesn't share her passion for music. For her, she HAS to do it, but it's different for him. It's so amazing to me that she's 26! Must be a sensational feeling...

Picked up the album at Target last night. It's splendid.

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

The Sister Effect

Six years ago, I dated this guy who was extremely close with his mom, grandma, and two sisters. I can't say much for him, but the females in his family, namely his grandma, were amazingly strong, independent women! Evidently, they rubbed off on him. Early into our relationship, I learned that when it came to dating, my ex had a distinct advantage over most men I'd met. What was different? He'd been raised in an estrogen-driven household so he'd had a lifetime of first-hand female interaction.

Overall, he had a much better understanding of women -- how they think, act, talk, and even walk. Relaxed and comfortable, he knew how to have a non-awkward conversation with a member of the opposite sex. He was a flirt. He graciously walked that fine line between charming and cheesy. He knew how to deliver a compliment without resorting to cliché pick-up lines. He was concerned with his physical appearance, particularly in terms of clothes and hair, which sounds superficial, but on the contrary, demonstrated he cared simply because he knew women cared about that sort of thing. I won't go into weight for that is an entirely different issue, but he was keenly aware of things a guy could say or do to attract women, which really surprised me. Of course, you take the good with the bad. He was, by no means, the perfect guy, but he was genuine; I was drawn to that.

Back to my original thought: in my experience, it seems that men with sisters have an edge over the competition when it comes to dealing with women.

Monday, July 9, 2007

Brody the Fisher Dog



It was a relaxing cabin weekend of good, clean fun with the family -- parents, brother, his girlfriend, and his college roommate. Oh, and of course, Brody and Max! It was a scorcher on Saturday so I got up early and ran 5 miles while it was still semi-shady. I then spent the day floating on a tube in the lake, fishing on the boat, and watching Brody fish. Check back for the uploaded video. Yes, he fishes for hours and hours. His tail looks absolutely ridiculous when he does -- it goes in every which direction as if he's using it as router.

The biggest disappointment of the weekend was when we went into town so I could get ice cream from Frosty's (it's one of many traditions), only to discover they were out of my favorite flavor, Blue Moon!! They had a shortage of about 7 flavors so the holiday crowd must be to blame. It did, however, force me to try something new so I had blueberry waffle cone and it was mighty tasty.

Wearing the [Favorite] Pants

Today I am wearing the $19.99 pants I bought six years ago. It was back in my underage clubbing days when I shopped at Deb for cheap, going-out clothes. The pants are dark gray and flared and cuffed at the bottom. My mom has re-stitched the seams on the cuffs, the side leg and the butt on more than one occasion. A new hole beside the zipper appeared recently so the pants are in need of additional work. There's nothing special or unique about these pants, but either they are the most comfortable pants I've ever owned, or I've worn them so often, the material naturally conforms to my body. Best $20 I ever spent.

Oh, and the best part is they don't require ironing!

Friday, July 6, 2007

TGIF

It's been a strange week with the 4th on a Wednesday. I've been so confused about my days, but I couldn't be more thrilled it's finally Friday!! I'm leaving work a little early today and then heading up north to my cabin. It'll be my first trip up there this summer -- a much needed "vacation." Sure, one of my friends is in the Bahamas right now and another the Virgin Islands, but does tropical paradise compare to northern MN?!?

Thursday, July 5, 2007

It's Finally Here!

Big Brother starts tonight!!!! I may start a separate blog devoted to BB. We'll see.

Apparently, there's an Alice in Wonderland theme for the house this year.

Rivalries Revealed

Mid-week Weekend

Since Tuesday was like a Saturday night with the mid-week break, I enjoyed a night of fun with friends and booze. GC and I decided to take advantage of the Tuesday night specials downtown.

$4 martinis at The Loop = loopy. I had two cosmos plus three mixed drinks. But I felt like I had 12 drinks in all. It'd been a long time since I was that intoxicated. I got to meet GC's roommate and guy friend who were both really cool.

After appetizers and strong cocktails, a small group of us went to the club NV. It was interesting to say the least. Soon after we walked in, my guy friend turned to me and said, "Is it Indian night?" I told him to ask GC, but I failed to hear her response over the reverberating bass. The majority of the crowd was, in fact, Indian. Music selection was unusual -- I hadn't heard any of it before, but the Indians seemed to be down with it. In fact, one guy was so into it, he even broke it all the way down to the floor. Very entertaining!

If I were subject to hangovers, I'd put more thought into the consequences of my drinking, but somehow or another, I bounce back without so much as a headache. Of course, there have been times that proved otherwise, but it's fairly rare. I got up yesterday at 7:30 am and walked to my car. I felt much better knowing my car was where I left it, still parked at the meter outside the bar. It took me a while to get going, but after changing into my workout clothes and procrastinating by playing with Marley for thirty minutes, I ran six miles. I've been slacking lately so it felt good to have a decent run. I would've gone further if I hadn't been so dehydrated. Hmm...I wonder why.

The afternoon could've been a productive one, but instead I watched my soap opera, Young and the Restless, took a nap, and watched The Devil Wears Prada. I can't stand Anne Hathaway, but I couldn't help but be curious about the movie so I bought it when it was on sale at Target last week. It fell flat, just like I thought it would. It had the potential to be better, but it was pretty blah. I'm sure the book is much, much better. Maybe I'll check it out if I ever decide to pick up a book and read again.

My friend and I went to dinner and then we watched the fireworks outside my apartment. Last year, we watched them from the Stone Arch Bridge, but we were packed in like sardines so it wasn't the most enjoyable experience. This year, we took a chance and camped out on a blanket on a small incline that turned out to be the perfect view!

Oh, yesterday also marked Deborah's birthday. On Tuesday, I brought in a Bakers Square cherry pie (her favorite) and vanilla ice cream -- you'd have thought she won 50 grand playing the lottery. She made sure to keep it hidden so she wouldn't have to share.

My friend captured this pic on her camera.

Tuesday, July 3, 2007

Dating? What's That?

"Are you dating?"

An acquaintance inquired over the weekend. Why did this question instantaneously strike a nerve?

"No," I scoffed, "I haven't been on a date since my last relationship."

Going on 7 months now.

"Are you looking?" she asked.

Okay, now I felt worse. Why should I feel ashamed?

"Define 'looking.'"

I know she asked out of curiosity, not to shame me, but why must there always be pressure to date, get married, and have babies? If it's not one thing, it's another. If I'd said I were "looking" would one take that to mean, sure, I'd love a boyfriend right now, but there haven't been any takers, i.e., single is synonymous with rejected loser.

It's easy to see why some prefer to jump from one relationship to the next, in an effort to skip over the pain from the last break-up by replacing it with a new relationship. But how can that be healthy or wise? What's the point of moving on if you haven't taken the time to reflect on lessons learnt?

If a seemingly promising opportunity for a date presented itself, I wouldn't decline, but I feel little desire to dive back into the dating pool. At this point, I prefer to stick near dry land, wading in the shallow end, steering clear of potentially shark-infested water. I'd much rather slowly ease back into dating.

Lately I've felt like there must be something wrong with me for not moving on. Those who move on and get back "out there" are praised while those who take their time getting over a break-up are pitied. Why? I'm not sitting around pining over my old boyfriend or wallowing in sorrow. Yes, there was a transition period, but after a four-year relationship, I'll never take my single life for granted again. Eventually, I'll swim out to the point where I can no longer touch bottom, but for now, I'm in no rush. Even if society tells me otherwise.